FLD filter was a popular filter during the time of film cameras. But, popularity has gone down now. Do you know why? In this article, we will go through all the details of an FLD filter. It will help you to decide whether you should invest in one or not. If you hear about this filter for the first time, this guide will help you know all about it.
What is an FLD Filter?
FLD filter is Fluorescent Light – Daylight (FLD) conversion filter. It is a white balance correction camera filter. You can use it in your film camera to correct the white balance to daylight when fluorescent lights illuminate the scene.
These fluorescent lights create a greenish tone on the image. An FLD lens filter helps to remove this green tone from the image.
This filter will have a pink colored transparent glass.
Do You Need an FLD filter For Digital cameras?
If you use an FLD filter on a digital camera like DSLR/Mirrorless, then you will get a pink color tone in your picture.
You can easily set the camera white balance according to the lighting conditions in a digital camera to get the desired color tone. So, you don’t have to use this filter with a digital camera to fix the white balance issue due to fluorescent lights.
You can use it to create any special effects like a pink tone in the frame if you are looking to create any special effects. But, I don’t recommend investing in such a filter just for the sake of creating a pinkish effect. You can get a similar effect by altering the white balance.
I have seen some Landscape photographers using these Fluorescent Light to Daylight filters with DSLR cameras. They use it for scenes during sunrise and sunset. It can help to create some dramatic photos with the pink tone.
If you want to try this filter to see its impact on an image with a digital camera, you can go for any cheap Chinese filters. Sometimes, when you buy a combo filter pack, it may have come with this filter.
How to use FLD Filter?
If you plan to buy an FLD filter, make sure that the filter size matches your lens’s thread size. Thread size is the diameter of the front part of your lens. You can see these details printed on your camera lens. You need to screw in this filter in front of your camera lens.
If you plan to use this lens filter on multiple lenses, you must buy the largest possible filter that matches one of your largest thread size of one of your lenses.
You can invest in a step-down ring adapter to fit the same filter onto a lens with a smaller thread size.
This way, you can use a single filter with multiple lenses.
Whenever you have the green tone issue in the film camera, use an FLD lens filter for the white balance correction.
You can also use it if you intend to bring a pink tone in the picture without changing the white balance settings in your digital camera.
Who Should Use an FLD Filter?
If you are using a film camera for photography, you can consider investing in one. It will be useful to convert fluorescent light to daylight white balance.
Recommended FLD Filter Brands
You can get FLD filters of various brands in the market. They come in various price ranges.
But, if you are looking for a high-quality one, then you can go for the HOYA FL-Day filter.
If you use a cheap quality filter glass in front of your lens, it will impact the image quality.
Conclusion
I don’t think you will need an FLD filter for your lenses anytime using a digital camera. So, don’t invest in this filter unless you are using a film camera.